A CHAPLAIN hopes that your Christmas spirit has lasted long enough to support visiting seafarers arriving in port on the North-East coast.

Gifts of clothes, non-perishable foods and toiletries are needed to make merchant sailors from across the globe feel at home while the ships on which they serve are berthed at Seaham Harbour, in County Durham.

David Talbot, the chaplain of Seaham Seafarers' Centre, said: "We have many seamen from countries around the world visiting the port at this time of year and some don't celebrate Christmas until much later than us.

"It is nice to be able to give them a few presents to show that people onshore care about them, to show them they are not forgotten."

Mr Talbot has asked anyone donating gifts to leave them at the security hut at the new entrance to Seaham Harbour Dock Company